Flu when you have newborn

amother

Magenta

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 4:24 am

I wasnt sure where to post this. I recently had a baby and now I have the flu. I have no problem taking care of my newborn and other kids. I just dont want them to catch it. WWYD?

out-of-towner

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 7:01 am

Are you nursing? If so then the baby should be safe. I would call your ped just to make sure, they might choose to treat the baby with Tamaflu because fever in a newborn is very dangerous.

Hugs! I got a fever when I had a newborn (who had been hospitalized with fever for a few days right before) and I couldn't move for 24 hours. It was bad!

pesek zman

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:25 am

Amazing that you're fully functional with the flu. I was knocked right out. In any case, I'd speak both with my physician and baby's pediatrician who could best advise

Jewishfoodie

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:43 am

Mazel Tov! Make sure you get rest. Now, I don't have the "mekor" for this but someone just sent me a story about how onions absorb germs like crazy, and she put an onion with top and bottom cut off, near her sick husband and the next day the onion had turned black and her husband was significantly better.

Before you scream "old wives tale" and move on, please, if anyone knows the story I'm talking about, please post it here. I would try anything.

(that, Btw is why they say never to put away a started onion but rather to throw it out.)

I will look for it too. It can't hurt. Fell better and stay cheerfully. There's a hysterical stuffed cabbage thread that SN Hillary started. (she might actually be Clinton variety, she's that funny) Keep your spirits up! The flu is gross.

amother

Magenta

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:45 am

thank you for your responses. I had the flu shot so I guess it didnt affect me so bad. im also not nursing so im really nervs abt baby. I will call pediatrician asap

Jewishfoodie

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:46 am

Again, I don't have a Mekor but here's what I read:

ONIONS! I had never heard this!!!
PLEASE READ TO THE END: IMPORTANT

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu...
Many of the farmers and their families had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser. She said that several years ago, many of her employees were coming down with the flu, and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.

Now there is a P. S. to this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:

Thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmer's story...but, I do know that I contacted pneumonia, and, needless to say, I was very ill... I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put it into an empty jar, and place the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs...sure enough it happened just like that...the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

This is the other note. Lots of times when we have stomach problems we don't know what to blame. Maybe it's the onions that are to blame. Onions absorb bacteria is the reason they are so good at preventing us from getting colds and flu and is the very reason we shouldn't eat an onion that has been sitting for a time after it has been cut open.

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, Makers of mayonnaise. Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

Ed, who was our tour guide, is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you. Ed said that all commercially-made mayo is completely safe.

"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked about the summer picnic, with the bowl of potato salad sitting on the table, and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that, when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not homemade mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the ONIONS, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.

He explained onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!). Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.

Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.

Please remember it is dangerous to cut an onion and try to use it to cook the next day, it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse stomach infections because of excess bile secretions and even food poisoning.

Please pass this on to all you love and care about.
— with Adonain Danny Rivera

Jewishfoodie

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:50 am

Again! I don't speak to the validity of this story. I leave that up to the smarter people. But it kinda made some sense to me so I passed it on.

Also, as Jews we know how stringent Halacha is with onions, and how we never cut top and bottom off and use it the next day.

So this could possibly be science catching up with us.

Idk.

yogabird

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 10:33 am

You can wear a mask to keep from passing the germs around.

greengrapes

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 10:39 am

Tried the onion thing last week when my whole family was sick. Made no difference whatsoever!

Miri7

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 10:53 am

I would definitely call the pediatrician.

This happened to me years ago, this is what I’d do for germ control:

Wear a surgical mask when you’re outside your room or with the baby. That will help keep germs from spreading. Clorox wipe surfaces a lot!!! Launder things a lot - don’t reuse baby blankets etc. I was lucky to move in to my MIL’s house. DH and the baby stayed ina different bedroom than me. I didn’t leave my room - they just brought the baby to me to nurse. I washed my hands and arms before holding baby.

Jewishfoodie

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 11:00 am

greengrapes wrote:

Tried the onion thing last week when my whole family was sick. Made no difference whatsoever!

There goes that myth. Oh well..

BH5745

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 7:45 pm

Jewishfoodie wrote:

There goes that myth. Oh well..

One person's positive or negative experience can't prove that something is a fact or myth. Many people have had success using the 'onion method.' Actually there probably is some truth to this method of absorbing negative ions or germs or what not that cause illness. A well-learned person once told us that there is a little known halacha that one may not leave a peeled onion that has been cut in half or sliced overnight in the refrigerator, unless it's covered (like wrapped in foil). All unpeeled and cut/sliced onions must be covered to keep overnight or longer. Maybe this is because onions are highly absorbent?

tigerwife

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:11 pm

My immediate reaction to your title is I hope you aren't working! Even though you work from home. It's a well known secret that WAHMs are never on vacation Wink

Give yourself at least 6 weeks, please.
GG
All advice I've gotten regarding the flu revolved around germ control- wash your hands, don't share foods, clean surfaces, disinfect, disinfect. Remember to rest as much as possible and drink lots of fluids! Refuah Sheleima and may your family stay healthy! And Mazel tov on the newborn!

amother

Blonde

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:24 pm

I would definitely call your pediatrician ASAP. CDC guidelines for inpatient mother baby state that if the mother has the flu, the baby has to room in the nursery. Not sure what happens after discharge.

amother

Magenta

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:38 pm

Thank you everyone for your advice and kind words! it really makes it easier to cope!! The pediatrician doesnt want to prescribe tamiflu unless he has fever as the baby is only a few wks old. And as far as workig from home im actually trying to study for my boards in bed. Smile

I feel so drained hope I can manage tmrw.. :

Jewishfoodie

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 8:43 pm

Refuah Shelaima!

das

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 9:12 pm

https://www.snopes.com/medical.....n.asp

HappyGoLucky1

Wed, Jan 31 2018, 9:14 pm

Please please wear a mask when you hold the baby. The flu in a newborn chv is VERY serious.
Refuah shelema and mazal tov!